President Donald Trump’s newly announced ceasefire with Iran is hanging by a thread after Israel launched its most devastating wave of airstrikes on Lebanon yet, killing at least 254 people and wounding hundreds more in a coordinated 10-minute assault across Beirut and southern Lebanon. The strikes were launched not even 24 hours after Washington and Tehran agreed to a two-week ceasefire to pursue peace talks, raising the question over whether the truce extends to Lebanon, where Israel has been battling Hezbollah since March.
While Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu insist Lebanon was never included, Iran and Pakistani mediators argue the ceasefire covers all fronts of the war. “The Iran-U.S. ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose, ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both,” warned Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi as bombs fell on Beirut. The dispute has left nearly one million Lebanese citizens confused on what the next step is, many having packed to return home after the ceasefire announcement only to face Netanyahu’s vow that operations would press on.
Complicating matters further, the Strait of Hormuz, which is vital for global energy flows, has become another flashpoint. The White House claims the passage reopened under the deal, but Iranian state media reports it closed following the Lebanon attacks, with shipping data showing significantly reduced vessel traffic. Tehran is also reportedly demanding steep tolls for safe passage, a smart way to fund the rebuilding of their land.
Vice President JD Vance, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son in law Jared Kushner are still preparing to travel to Pakistan for peace talks, but the path forward is uncertain. With Hezbollah resuming rocket attacks on northern Israel and Trump warning that devastating attacks are inevitable if terms aren’t met, the ceasefire appears to be tumbling before it even began, leaving the region undecided between fragile diplomacy and wider war.
